As part of a $225,000 federal grant, Carroll County will receive $20,000 to fund transportation studies.

The United Transportation Program is distributed to Carroll and all other metropolitan counties inthe Baltimore region and is funneled through the Baltimore Regional Council of Governments. Carroll County pays nearly $60,000 a year to be a member of the council.

Council representatives from the region met Friday to approve thefunding as well as offer more support for regional cooperation on relieving congested roads.

Carroll plans to use the funds to do traffic counts and other research for its transportation master plan.

The master plan, however, will eventually require significantly more funding at a time when both state and federal transportation dollars are becoming scarce.

The county annually assesses traffic volume and road use in planning for new or upgraded transportation needs.